Braathens took over the Oslo-route in 1999, a new terminal opened in 2004 and Norwegian Air Shuttle took over the Oslo route in 2008.

This has since changed to Norwegian Air Shuttle, following the airline winning back the defence contract from SAS in 2023.

Bardufoss was selected an emergency landing airfield by the Norwegian Army Air Service in 1934, with construction starting in early 1935.

The Army Air Service decided to expand the airport and built a triangular gravel runway 500-by-400-by-300-meter (1,640 by 1,310 by 980 ft), which became operational from mid-1938.

It recommended that flights in Northern Norway be carried out using seaplanes, but also noted the possibility of upgrading existing military air stations for civilian use.

Bardufoss was the only land airport north of Bodø and its catchment area included the towns of Tromsø, Harstad and Narvik.

Widerøe launched a seaplane route from the water aerodrome to Tromsø, Alta and Hammerfest.

[4] Three times a week SAS operated a night flight from Bardufoss and Bodø to Oslo, with Andøya Airport, Andenes added in 1964, using a Convair Metropolitan.

[6] Braathens SAFE received permission in 1967 to extend its West Coast route from Bergen to Trondheim onwards to Bodø, Tromsø and Bardufoss.

[4] SAS introduced a freight aircraft on the route from Oslo to Bodø, Bardufoss and Tromsø from 1982, using a Lockheed L-188 Electra operated by Fred.

[11] The Norwegian Aviation College was established at Bardufoss Airport in 1992 as the world's northernmost flight school.

It chose the airport because of its difficult weather and terrain in combination with few aircraft movements from commercial aviation.

[11] The armed forces signed an agreement with Braathens, resulting in the airline taking over the three weekly Oslo-services from 1 January 1999.

This resulted in a court case which deemed the action conveyance and forced Røros Flyservice to pay the same wage as in SAS.

[26] Cominor operates three airport coach routes—one to Sørreisa, Finnsnes and Silsand; one to Setermoen and one to Maukstadmoen.

[32] The Norwegian Armed Forces is the largest purchaser of travel at the airport and operations are based on a contract between the two parties, resulting in scheduled flights.

None of the crew of 6 and 122 passengers were injured in the incident, which ended with a surrender at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen seven hours later.